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AR-15 Lower dxf file(s)?

Joe Miranda

Titanium
Joined
Oct 19, 2004
Location
Elyria Ohio
I have searched the gunsmithing forum and have not found dxf versions of the ar 15 lowers and I thought that would be a pretty common interest. Is anyone aware of them? Thanks.
 
Hbjj and jmm03, those are exactly the drawings I am looking for but I was wondering if anybody had them already in dxf format that could easily be used to generate toolpath. The pdf versions will work but they have to be redrawn in a CAD system in order to get the dxf files from them. It seems to me that with all the interest in all things AR, that someone would already have (or know of) the dxf versions.

But gentlemen, many thanks to both of you for taking the time to post to this thread. I will make use of both of your posts!
 
Try to find a copy of the "DefCAD" / "Defense Distributed" files somewhere. The original site was "taken off the internet" because the Fed decided they'd call that an ITAR violation for stupid and inconsistent reasons, but obviously there are gobs of backups and mirrors of the originals. They have a plethora of styles of AR lowers in both 3D models and DXF, I believe. Including the standard forged M4/M16/AR15 type. Obviously any of the "cnc billet" lowers will vary from maker to maker, whether it's someone using a Spikes, Mega, etc to start with, or if they rolled their own.

If you just want the FCG hole pattern for a blank forging or 80% then I suppose any of them'd do. If you use a weird drawing of a lower, I'd zero/origin off of the front or rear takedown pin hole. That's already in a lot of the 80% lowers, and it's something that can't change in relation to the FCG, so it's a safe reference point.
 
The reality is it's better to be working with a model you generated
depending on your cam software.
and it's much faster and easier and neater to change the design slightly
so you can use rounding tools
instead of 3d machining with a ball mill if you are wanting to machine from bar stock
the original design has the rounded features to accommodate being forged

Now if you are just wanting to finish a raw forging or a 80% it's all 2d paths
and just not that hard to generate your own model for those features.
but from experience except for the fire control pocket and the mag well it's easier to do it
on a manual mill with dro

And then why should some one after putting in the work to generate a solid model
just throw it out there for every clown to use for free.
just like my AR308 lower, 1911 frame models aren't going to be posted any where.

The blue prints are out there one just has to put the effort into converting that into a model.
yes I have a solidworks model for an AR15 that I generated, but for what you can buy a lower for
it isn't worth the effort.
the 308 lower on the other hand actually has proven bobcad toolptahs, that's a break even proposition
 
Thanks for the help. Now, do any of you have a spare machine that is tooled that I can borrow to make one?

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Thanks for the help. Now, do any of you have a spare machine that is tooled that I can borrow to make one?

The ATF changed the law recently. You cant rent or borrow any machinery or tools to "manufacture" a gun on. You have to own the machinery/tools outright to keep the process legal. It is just more roadblocks that cut down on our freedom, but to stay legal we have to operate within their rules/laws as they define. There is a small specialty CNC mill that can machine an AR lower, the ghost gunner I believe. They had plans to lease them, the ATF had different ideas, so the new rule was placed into effect. All ATF rules have the effect of laws, and they have serious penalty's, IMHO you need to stay on top of them if you are making a firearm. If you want to finish an 80% AR lower with minimum tooling check out a place called 5D Tactical. You don't even need a mill to finish an 80% AR lower.
 
The ATF changed the law recently. You cant rent or borrow any machinery or tools to "manufacture" a gun on. You have to own the machinery/tools outright to keep the process legal. It is just more roadblocks that cut down on our freedom, but to stay legal we have to operate within their rules/laws as they define. There is a small specialty CNC mill that can machine an AR lower, the ghost gunner I believe. They had plans to lease them, the ATF had different ideas, so the new rule was placed into effect. All ATF rules have the effect of laws, and they have serious penalty's, IMHO you need to stay on top of them if you are making a firearm. If you want to finish an 80% AR lower with minimum tooling check out a place called 5D Tactical. You don't even need a mill to finish an 80% AR lower.

I see they are using 6061, I thought the good ones were 7075.
So I am told.
Mark
 








 
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